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Kaymer wins US PGA's Players Championship

Ben Everill

German former world No.1 and 2010 US PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer has re-entered the top echelon of golf by taking out the lucrative Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in dramatic fashion.

Kaymer ultimately carded a one-under 71 final round to finish 13-under for the championship and win by one over American Jim Furyk, but not before he faced a nervous finish.

The 29-year-old was cruising at the top with a three-shot lead and just five holes to left when dangerous weather halted play for 93 minutes, taking away his momentum.

Upon resumption he made a double bogey on the 15th hole to drop his lead to one.

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Facing another bogey when leaving his chip 28 feet short of the hole he stepped up and made the huge curling putt for a clutch par, preserving his cushion.

A par on the last was enough to earn a $US1.8 million ($A1.95 million) winner's cheque and a five-year exemption on the US tour.

He also claims a three-year exemption into the Masters, US Open and British Open and is projected to jump from No.62 to No.27 in the world.

"This is a very special win for me," Kaymer said.

Furyk's final round 66 left him at 12-under in second place.

Spain's Sergio Garcia (70) took third at 11-under while 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, who started the final round tied with Kaymer in the lead, struggled to a two-over 74 to join England's Justin Rose (69) in fourth at 10-under.

Australian Adam Scott's quest for world No.1 failed for at least another week after his one-over 73 left him tied 38th, well short of the top-16 finish he needed to replace the injured Tiger Woods.

"Overall this week I just didn't play good enough," Scott said.

"The course was demanding even though the greens were receptive it still had a lot of long rough and I found plenty of it. "I was lucky to even make the weekend. Today I played from the rough and it's impossible to play this course out of position so I battled all day."

Matt Jones, who started tied fifth and just four off the lead, claimed top Australian honours but struggled to be two-over on Sunday to drop to six-under and a tie for 17th.

"I just didn't hit it good enough today. I knew going into the round I didn't warm up very well and I knew it would be a battle," Jones said.

"Days like that eventually catch up with you and it did on (holes) 10, 11 and 12.

"I played very good for three days, I just played bad today and I know with a good round today it could have been a whole different story so I'll go away with some positives."

John Senden, who was third and just three off the lead, struggled to a five-over 77 and dropped to a tie for 26th.

Marc Leishman (67) joined Senden at five-under, while Steven Bowditch finished his debut at the event at one-under and tied for 48th.